Hambidge Center For Creative Arts & Sciences

Hambidge is an artist retreat located in the north Georgia mountains near Dillard and the North Carolina border. Artists can apply for residencies to stay for a time in one of the studios at the retreat and enjoy solitude to work on whatever they like. Studios are separated from one another and are essentially small cottages. Artists take some communal meals at the large house down by the entrance but are otherwise free to do their thing as they please, as long as they don’t disturb other artist-​residents. Each studio has a small kitchen. The center also has a gallery and sometimes hosts events and shows.
It’s not free but is a pretty sweet deal. My wife has enjoyed two residencies at Hambidge. Visitors are somewhat discouraged — the whole point is to retreat into a quiet zone — so I have only visited briefly to drop off supplies and go for a short hike on the expansive property, which includes a number of trails (see photos). You could get used to living up here.
Two kitties in residence, otherwise the property seemed to be critter-​free (no pets allowed in the studios).